The wall paintings were discovered by Lt R.L. Rawlings of the 2nd Battalion, 6th QEO Gurkha Rifles high on an abrupt limestone cliff at Gunong Panjang nearby Tambun, Ipoh in 1959.

Some of the paintings, depicting animals such as deer, turtle, wild boar and tapir, are easily identified. There is also a drawing that looks like a dugong but some claim that it could be a giant catfish.

An initial survey of the site in 1959 also unearthed re-stained stone tolls attributed to the Hoabinhian period.